Apparatus for laying tile drains



Sept. 27, 1932.

G. HENDERSON ET AL APPARATUS F OR LAYING TILE DRAINS Filed Jan. 22, 1931 INVENTORY w waf udbm/ g M; a)!

Patented Sept. 27, 1932 7 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GE ClRGE HENDERSON AND =WALLAGE MITCHELL HENDERSON, OF CATBINE, SCOTLAND I APPARATUS FOR LAYING TILE DRAINS Application filed January 22, 1931, Serial No. 510,393, and in Great Britain January 29, 1930.

This invention relates to apparatus for laying field drains by inserting tile drains into pre-formed mole drains produced with the aid of a mole drain plough.

The present improvement is applicable to that type of apparatus which includes a power-propelled coulter insertable into and adapted to travel along the cut previously formed by the coulter of a mole drain plough, a mole pilot tool insertable into and adapted to travel along the mole drain formed by such plough, a flexible haulage member such as a wire rope detachably secured to said pilot tool and a plurality of tile drivers arranged at intervals on the flexible haulage member, said tile drivers each having a oneway clutch connection with the rearmost tile of a train of tiles sleeving the haulage memher and inserted between the pilot tool and the first tile driver and between pairs of adjacent tile drivers, the arrangement being such that trains of tiles may be inserted in the mole drain and propelled through the mole drain by the drivers without imparting to any individual tile a load greater than that imposed by the frictional resistance offered to the individual train with which that tile is associated and the one-way driving clutch connection permitting retraction of the drivers axially through the tiles on the completion of the tile laying operation.

In apparatus of this type it is customary to employ a tile driver comprising a substantially cylindrical mandrel insertable into a 'tile and provided with pawls or dogs which are engageable with the rearward end wall of the rearmost tile of a train of tiles, the pawls or dogs being restrained against rearward movement during forward movement of the mandrel and being free to move clear of the tiles during retrograde movement of the mandrel.

Experience with such tile drivers has shown that they are open to the objection that the cylindrical mandrel in filling the greater part of the space within the hollow tile is liable to am against the wall of the tile in the event of a small broken particle of the tile being lodged between the mandrel and such wall.

- The said tile driver is also subject to the defect that the pawls or dogs are incapable of adjustment lengthwise of the mandrel. Thus,

the pawls or dogs may be so positioned as'to permit the formation of gaps between ad jacent trains of tiles or they may be so posi tioned as to be incapable of engaging the rear wall of the rearmost tile.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a tile driver for use in conjunction with theapparatus referred to comprising a link loosely insertable into a tile and provided at each end with a hook attachable to the adjacent flexible haulage member and tiledriving dogs adjustable lengthwise of the link and adapted, when the link is moved in the direction to drive the tiles, to engage the rearmost tile of a train of tiles, and, when the link is moved in the opposite direction, to disengage the said rearmost tile;

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a tile-inserting apparatus in operation, Fig. 2 a longitudinal section of two adjacent tiles accommodating a tile driver which is shown in elevation and Fig. 3 a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

The apparatus shown comprises a powerpropelled coulter 10 insertable into and adapted to travel along a cut 12 previously formed'by the coulter of a mole drain-forming apparatus. A mole pilot tool 13 is insertable into and is adapted to travel along the mole drain 14 formed by such apparatus. A flexible haulage member constituted by a wire rope 4 is detachably secured to the pilot tool 13 and arranged at intervals on the rope 4 are tile drivers each having a one-way clutch connection (hereinafter described) with the rearmost tile of a train of tiles 2 which are threaded on to the rope 4 and are inserted between the pilot tool 13 and the first tile driver and between pairs of adjacent tile drivers;

The pilot tool 13 is connected to the rope 4 through the intermediary of a hollow sheath 15 which encloses the forward end of the foremost tile in the leading train.

It will be seen that by virtue of the arrangement described, trains of tiles may be inserted in the mole drain and propelled throughthe mole drain by the drivers with out imparting to any individual tile a load greater than that imposed by the frictional resistance offered to the individual train with which that tile is associated. The one-way driving clutch connection permits retraction of the drivers axially through the tiles on the completion of the tile laying operation.

The .tile driver comprises a link 1 loosely insertable into a tile 2 and provided at each end with a book 3 attachable to the adjacent flexible haulage member 4; Tile-driving dogs 5 are adjustable lengthwise of the link and are adapted, when the link 1 is moved in the direction indicated by the arrows A in Figs. 1 and 2, to drive the tiles 2, to engage the'rearmost tileof'a train'of tiles, and, when the link is moved in the opposite direction, to. disene gage the tile as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. The tile-driving dogs 5 are slidably mounted on the link 1 and are formed with. teeth 6 engageable with rack teeth 7 formed on the longitudinal edges of the link. The dogs 5 are shiftable into selected positions on, the link endwise movement in one direction by interengagement of the dog teeth 6 with the rack teeth 7. The dogs are each mounted on a slide member 8. which is movable in a slide-way constituted by an elongated slot 9 disposed lengthwise of the link. Each dog 5 is pivoted to the slide member 8 and is capable of per- 1 forming swinging movements into a position such that its tooth 6 engages a rack tooth 7 and thus prevents retrograde movement of the dog relatively to the bar, or into a posi' tion such that the dog 5 lies closely adjacent to the bar and entirely clear of the tile as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 2 the leading tile 2 of the succeed- 'ing train of tiles is disposed to the right.

We claim v 1 .1. In apparatus of the type referred to for laying field drains, a tile driver comprising in combination a link loosely insertable into I a tile and provided at each end with a hook attachable to the adjacent flexible haulage memberand tile-driving dogs arranged to be connected to said link at selected positionsof adjustment lengthwise of said link, said dogs being adapted, when said link is moved in the direction to drive said tiles, to engage the rearmost tileof a train of said tiles, and, when the link is moved in the opposite direction, to disengage said rearmost tile. 7 2. In. apparatus of the type referred to for laying field drains, a tile driver'comprising in combination a link provided with rack teeth in. its longitudinal edges, and tile-driving dogs slidably mounted in said link and engageable with said teeth so as to be held in selected positions on said link and restrained against endwise movement in one direction.

.8. A'tile driver according to 'claim2 1n, which the dogs are each mounted on a slide names to this specification;

.GEORGE HENDERSON.

l in which they are restrained against stituted by an elongated slot disposed lengththat a tooth on the dog engages a rack tooth and thus prevents retrograde movement of thedog relatively to the bar or into a position such that thedog lies closely adjacent to the bar and entirely clear of the tile.

In testimony whereof we have WALLACE MITCHELL HENDERSON.

signed our member which ismovable in a slide-way con-f I 

